Combination window or door covering

ABSTRACT

A combination window or door covering is disclosed. The window or door covering includes ladders suspended from a header rail and horizontal slats located on the rungs of the ladders. The ladders and slats are moved in a vertical direction by lift cords. A flexible planar shade includes horizontal spaced apart fold lines connected to the ladders. The shade is raised and lowered using the same lift cords that raise and lower the slats.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to window and door coverings. In particular, the invention relates to combination of a venetian blind and a flexible shade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Venetian blinds are well known. Such blinds consist of a plurality of horizontal parallel slats supported on cord or tape ladders which are suspended from a header rail mounted to the top of the window or door. A bottom rail is connected to the bottom ends of the ladders. A tilt control mechanism is typically provided in the header rail to tilt the slats to control the amount of light entering the room. Lift cords typically run from the bottom slat to a cord lock located in the header rail. The lift control mechanism permits the lifting or lowering of the bottom rail to control the portion of the window covered by the blind.

One of the disadvantages encountered with prior art venetian blinds is that, when a user tilts the slats to permit light to enter the room, privacy is compromised. Specifically, when the slats are in a position where light is permitted to enter the room, a person standing outside the window or door may be able to see into the room through the openings between the slats.

To address this disadvantage, a number of combination window coverings have been developed. These combination window coverings add a translucent flexible sheet or shade to the venetian blind. The translucent shade permits light to pass into the room when the slats are open, but obscures visibility of the room interior.

The prior art combination window coverings have a number of disadvantages. One of the disadvantages of some of the prior art combination window coverings is that separate controls are required to control the venetian blind and the shade, making such combination window coverings more difficult and time-consuming to operate. Other prior art combination window coverings provide a single control for raising the venetian blind and the shade, but have other disadvantages. Specifically, the single controls are complex and expensive, requiring significant modifications to the venetian blind. In addition, when the shade is raised along with the venetian blind, it does not fold up in an esthetically pleasing manner. Esthetic qualities of window coverings are an extremely important feature for consumers.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved combination window covering which is esthetically pleasing, is simple to operate, is less expensive, and can be manufactured from existing commercially available materials used for conventional venetian blinds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the invention described herein provide a window or door covering which is a combination of a venetian blind and a shade. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the window or door covering is a combination of a venetian blind and a roman blind, where both the venetian blind and roman blind can be raised or lowered together using a single control, such as a lift cord or cords.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a combination window or door covering is provided. The window or door covering comprises:

-   a) a header rail; -   b) at least one flexible ladder suspended from the header rail, the     at least one ladder comprising a plurality of rungs; -   c) a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats is     supported by a corresponding rung of the at least one ladder; -   d) a lift cord operatively connected to the ladder, the lift cord     being adapted to vertically move the ladder; and -   e) a planar flexible shade comprising a plurality of substantially     horizontal spaced apart fold lines, wherein each of the fold lines     is secured to the at least one ladder.

Preferably, the shade is connected to the ladder only at the fold lines. Portions of the shade between fold lines form a number of pleats when the shade is raised, such that each pleat locates partially behind the adjacent pleat immediately above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exterior perspective view of a first embodiment of a combination window or door covering according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an interior perspective view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a partial elevation view of the first embodiment showing the combination window or door covering in the fully extended position;

FIG. 4B is a partial elevation view of the first embodiment showing the combination window or door covering in the raised position;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the first embodiment showing the connection of the shade to the venetian blind; and

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a second embodiment showing the connection of the shade to the venetian blind

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a combination window or door covering 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The combination window or door covering 10 comprises a venetian blind portion 12 connected to a flexible planar shade 14, as described in detail below. Preferably, the shade 14 is composed of a translucent material to permit light to pass through, but to obstruct visibility. The shade 14 is preferably positioned adjacent the interior face of the venetian blind portion 12. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, the shade 14 may be positioned on the exterior face of the venetian blind portion 12. Alternatively, two shades 14 (not shown) may be provided adjacent to each face of the blind portion 12. A used herein, “exterior” refers the face of the blind which faces the window or door, and “interior” refers to the face which faces the room interior.

The venetian blind portion 12 and shade 14 are suspended from a header rail 16. Preferably, the venetian blind portion 12 is suspended from exterior header rail portion 16 a and the shade 14 is suspended from interior header rail portion 16 b.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 4A, and 4B, interior header rail portion 16 b is secured to exterior portion 16 a by any suitable means, such as by fastener 18. A conventional tilt mechanism 20 is mounted in the exterior header rail portion 16 a. The tilt mechanism 20 includes two cam members 22 a, 22 b mounted on a tilt rod 24 received longitudinally in the exterior header rail portion 16 a. A tilt control cord 26 is connected to the tilt mechanism 20 by conventional means. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a wand (not shown) may be used instead of the tilt control cord 26.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a first ladder 30 a and a second ladder 30 b are suspended from cam members 22 a and 22 b, respectively. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any suitable numbers of ladders and cam members may be provided depending on the size of the blind required. A plurality of slats 32 are supported by the ladders 30 a, 30 b. The slats may be any suitable width (such as 1″ or 2″ slats), shape (such as rectangular cross-section or “airplane wing” cross-section), or material (such as plastic, wood, aluminum, or the like).

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4A, the slats 32 rest on corresponding rungs 34 of each ladder 30 a, 30 b.

Referring again to FIG. 1, each slat 34 may include a pair of slots 36 a, 36 b. Each slat 32 may also include two pairs of opposed notches (not shown) to engage the vertical cords of the ladders 30 a, 30 b.

First and second lift cords 38 a, 38 b may be secured to a heavier bottom slat 40 and run through the slots 36 a, 36 b of each slat 34. The lift cords pass into the interior header rail portion 16 b through openings (not shown). The lift cords 38 a, 38 b pass through a conventional cord lock 44 and exit the header rail portion through a second opening (not shown), where they are preferably connected together at lift control 42.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any suitable number of lift cords may be provided depending on the size of the combination window or door covering 10. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that slots 36 a, 36 b are not essential. If the slots are not present, the lift cords may run vertically proximate to either the front or rear vertical cord of the ladders 30 a, 30 b. In such case the lift cords may be secured by loops in the vertical cord of the ladders.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and 5 the shade 14 includes five substantially horizontal fold lines, although those skilled in the art will understand the that the shade 14 may have any number of fold lines depending on the side of the window or door to which it is fitted. In one embodiment, the fold lines are conventional plastic splines 60 a-e which are secured to the exterior face 61 of the shade 14 by threading a portion of the shade where a fold line is desired onto each spline. Each spline 60 a-e includes a rail 62 along its longitudinal edge. Preferably, two plastic clips 64 (only one is shown in FIG. 5) are secured to each spline 60 a-e by sliding each clip 64 onto the rail 62 and positioning each clip 64 proximate to the ladders (only connection to ladder 30 a is shown in FIG. 5). End caps 66 (only one is shown in FIG. 5) are then fitted over the spline to secure the shade 14 and clips 64. Each clip includes a ring 68. An S-shaped connector 70 engages the ring 68 at one end, and preferably a vertical cord 72 on an adjacent ladder 30 a at the other end in order to secure each spline 60 a-e of the shade 14 to the ladders 30 a, 30 b of the blind portion 12.

The operation of the first embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4B, and 5. The tilting of the slats 32 in the venetian blind portion 12 is controlled in a conventional manner by tilt cord 26 and will not be further described. When the slats 32 are in an open position (shown in FIG. 1), the combination window or door covering 10 permits light to enter the room, while affording privacy by virtue of the shade 14 obscuring visibility.

The vertical movement of the combination window or door covering 10 is controlled by pulling and releasing the lift cords 38 a,b with control 42. For example, in order to lift the combination window or door covering 10 from the fully extended position shown in FIG. 1 into the raised position shown in FIG. 4B, the user pulls on the lift cords 38 a,b. The pulling action causes the cord lock 44 to release and the venetian blind portion 12 to be raised. Initially, the vertical cord 72 simply slides through the S-shaped connector 70. As soon as the S-shaped connector 70 of each spline 60 a-e abuts against adjacent rung 34 x, the shade 14 is raised together with venetian blind portion 12.

As best shown in FIG. 4B, the connection of the shade 14 to venetian blind portion 12 only at splines 60 a-e causes pleats 80 a-c to form in the shade 14. Each pleat is located partially behind the immediately adjacent higher pleat to give the shade 14 an aesthetically pleasing appearance when raised.

The combination window or door covering 10 is lowered by moving the lift cords 38 a,b so that the cord lock 44 is released and the blind portion 12 may be lowered using the force of gravity.

The combination window or door covering according to the present invention provides the advantage of manufacturing an improved product using inexpensive standard off-the-shelf parts (i.e. standard cord ladders, and plastic or cord connectors) used for conventional venetian and roman blinds, thereby reducing the cost and simplifying the manufacture of the combination window or door covering.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a window or door covering 100 where like parts have been assigned like reference numbers and will not be further described.

Referring to FIG. 6, the fold lines of shade 14 are formed by an envelope 102 in the interior face of the shade 14. A rod 104 made of wood, plastic, or the like is located in the envelope 102. A ring connector 106 is preferably sewn to a seam 108 in the shade 14. The vertical cord 72 of adjacent ladder 30 a passes through the ring connector 106 in order to secure the shade 14 to the ladder 30 a. This embodiment operates in the same manner as described for the first embodiment above.

While the present invention as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and thus, is representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. 

1. A combination window or door covering comprising: a) a header rail; b) at least one flexible ladder suspended from the header rail, the at least one ladder comprising a plurality of rungs; c) a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats is supported by a corresponding rung of the at least one ladder; d) a lift cord operatively connected to the ladder, the lift cord being adapted to vertically move the ladder; and e) a planar flexible shade comprising a plurality of substantially horizontal spaced apart fold lines, wherein each of the fold lines is secured to the at least one ladder.
 2. The combination window or door covering of claim 1, wherein the shade is connected to the ladder only at the plurality of fold lines.
 3. The combination window or door covering of claim 2, wherein a portion of the shade between a pair adjacent fold lines is adapted to form a pleat when the shade is raised, wherein the shade comprises a plurality of pleats when raised, wherein each pleat locates at least partially behind an adjacent higher pleat.
 4. The combination window or door covering of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of spaced apart ladders, wherein each of the fold lines is connected to each of the plurality of ladders.
 5. The combination window or door covering of claim 4, further comprising a tilt mechanism connected to the plurality of ladders, wherein the tilt mechanism is adapted to tilt the slats.
 6. The combination window or door covering of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of slats defines a route hole, wherein the lift cord passes through the route hole of each slat.
 7. The combination window or door covering of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of lift cords and a plurality of route holes in each of the slats, wherein the number of lift cords and route holes correspond to the plurality of ladders, wherein each lift cord and each ladder is secured to a heavier bottom slat.
 8. The combination window or door covering of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of fold lines is defined by a portion of the shade pinched by a substantially horizontal spline located on an exterior face of the shade, the spline defining a rail along a longitudinal edge thereof.
 9. The combination window or door covering of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of clips connected to the rail, each of the clips defining a ring at a distal end thereof.
 10. The combination window or door covering of claim 9, further comprising an S-shaped connector connected to each clip, wherein a first end of the S-shaped connector is connected to the ring and a second end of the S-shaped connector is connected to the ladder.
 11. The combination window or door covering of claim 10, wherein the second end of the S-shaped connector is connected to a vertical cord portion of the ladder, the vertical cord portion being located between an upper rung and a lower rung of the ladder.
 12. The combination window or door covering of claim 3, wherein the plurality of fold lines is defined by a portion of the shade comprising a substantially horizontal envelope located on an interior face of the shade.
 13. The combination window or door covering of claim 12, further comprising a ring connector secured to a seam along the edge of the envelope, wherein a portion of the ladder passes through the ring.
 14. The combination window or door covering of claim 13, wherein a rod is located inside the envelope.
 15. The combination window or door covering of claim 13, wherein the portion of the ladder comprises a vertical cord portion, the vertical cord portion being located between an upper rung and a lower rung of the ladder. 